How can I ensure that advanced technology remains in the hands of the superhero community?

[Erebus]

There is a brilliant scientist who regularly tangoes with external threats to the planet Earth, where a race referred to as "humaniti" reside. He, along with a team of scientists, operate out of a metropolis city called New York. They regularly develop advanced technology that is beyond anything this species has seen, and has access to off-world tech due to their repeated trips to outer space. Flying cars, teleport devices, bullet-proof armor, speed of light jets, etc, are just some of the kinds of tech they create and have access to. Because they sometimes defend earth from aliens, they get billions of dollars in tax breaks from the city. However, this has begun to provoke the ire of many New Yorkers.

A congresswoman named Alexandria Oscoria Cortez has recently come to prominence in the media, and has used her platform to attack Richards and his team. She argues that, for decades, this group and other oligarchs have kept their discoveries and advances to themselves. These developments have yet to make their way into mainstream society where they can benefit the common people. Instead, these well-paid elitists selfishly hoard them, neglecting to improve their city, or humanity, in the long term while still taking large tax breaks from the government. This shameful behavior is indicative of the wealthy 1% who have more power and control than the other 99% of society.

AOC has begun to make waves among other New Yorkers, and has garnered a large amount of support, which has raised trouble for the superhero community. She is currently running for president of the U.S., and has proposed legislation called "The Green New Deal". This proposal will, among other things, end dependence on fossil fuel emissions, fix infrastructure in the country, and provide new jobs in clean technology. The Green New Deal has gained traction with members in the Democratic Party and other progressives. Its stipulations would be accomplished by forcing Richards as well as other members of the superhero community to submit to governmental regulation in regards to scientific discoveries and force them to be more open and cooperative with the rest of the country.

I need to maintain the status quo of only the superhero community having access to high-tech while the rest of society declines to progress. How can this group justify maintaining control of access to the American public?

 

[EponasSong]

I got this.

It's for the good of the American Public. Technology like this would only do more harm than good. They would just use it to harm each other. They would never understand how to use it. They would abuse it. It would corrupt them.

 

[pmmg]

I just read an article where a kid had built a small fusion reactor in his house. I fear that once a thechnology exists there is no real stopping it.

If these scientists dont want their stuff obtained by an intrusive government, they either better win elections, be prepared to defend it, or move. I think it just kind of a fact of life in a superhero world that big things blow up, the world gets threatened, and super villians get their hands on things...like tech they should not have.

My guess is they would have to spend a lot of effort keeping their stuff out of the wrong hands.

 

[Miles Lacey]

"We understand that the technology we have is impressive but what the American public has to understand is that all of these things have been custom made specifically to meet the needs of the superhero community. "These superheroes have abilities that ordinary people don't have. Using most of these things would either kill or hurt most people.
"We know that some of this technology would benefit humanity and don't require superhero powers to use it so we have passed on much of the technology when we can. Thanks to us you have autopilot in aircraft, smart phones, efficient electric cars and recharging stations, and [list a few more tech advances].
"And with all due respect the United States government does not have a good track record when it comes to managing things, especially when governments can be manipulated by lobbyists to water down or even abolish the safeguards that would be needed if this technology was passed into the hands of the government."

 

[CupofJoe]

Hire a PR firm to get their side of the argument out there.
Monetise some of the less lethal technology to get rid of the need for tax breaks [or just hire some really good tax lawyers].
Move out of New York to somewhere that wants them and won't bother them.